St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-04-16
A WORD OF WARNING.


" = Usss 49, 100 ~ 49,
few suggestions to the citizens Of
yoar beautiful little village.
Il seems astonishing. especially
to any one familiar with tue push,
energy and business vitality every
where seen in the North and West.
nav. even in your sister States OF
Alabama and Mississippi. to see
the utter indifference manifested
by the citizens Of Covington. at this
more than critical period Of their
municipal existence. Il cannot be
that they are blind to the fact that
should the POitevent l. Favre Rail-
road, now.in course of construction
to the Abita Springs. make its ter
r,inus there, the end Of their CON-
mercial prosperity will have been
reached. and that the decline will
he swift and sure: that unlsse they
awaken from their apathy-and
that very speedily-they will soon
End themselves broken in spirit
and fortune, the trade they now
enjoy transferred to the new city
by the springs" and such a ruinous
fall in the prices Of property here
Al to mean virtual ruin.
They may ask. what will avail
teem in this crisis? That is very
easily answered. A prolongation
Of the Poitevent 4 Favre road to
Covington. Or. failing in that. an
immediate resolve to help them
selves and seek assistance else
where. Where? Tie two stations
Pontcbatonla and Hammond. on
the Great Jackson Route, I am in.
formed. are respectively Is and 2l
miles distant from Covington. Let
a meeting Of the citizens Of yonr
town. alive to the importance Of
railroad communication. assemble
and appoint . committee to wni.
npon the officers of the Jackson
Routs-all able. wideaw.ke gentle.
men-and it would not he snr-
prising If this meeting we're to re-
snlt in tap road from one Of these
stations to Covington-either being
nearer to Covington than the North
eastern route. via Pearl River Sta
tion. and insuring a speedier and
far safer travel than by the Crss-
cent road.
Covington ia the natural snburh
Of Now Orleans. and while not wish
ing to dstract from the advantages
to the parish to be obtained by
the route TO Abita. still. I deem it
81 paramount importance to Gov
ington that the route makes its ter
minus here.
No comparison can be made he
tween the natural beauties and nd
vansaees Of CovinSton. AZ against
those Of Abita. Covington is one
Of the loveliest spots in Louisiana.
and with a railroad here. all the
wealthy citizens Of New Orleans.
and perchance others. would erect
summer villas. and the entire route
from here to Pontchatoula would
be q succession of summer resi-
donces and truck farms.
This would mean an increased
trade to Covington-an milk o.
energetic. enterprising men-a vast
increase OF working capital, and
finally. q new era Of commercial
prosperity.
Look at the other side 81 the
picture! What can be seen? A
new era!-but an era Of impress
lented decline in trade and pros
perity. and the Covington Of the fn-
turs to become = mere shabby ham,
let. all its enterprise and energy
itself where access to
the great metropolis Of tho South
will bs sure and speedy.
Therefore I say It behooves the
citizens Of Cosington to awake to
the important issues of the hour
to 60 earnestly and enereetically to
work. and in the right direction. 60
that before many E.onths shall have
rolled away the sbriIl whistle OF the
and the laundering roll
Of the train will wake the echoes Of
ito now silent streets. and that
prosperous future will smile upon
them. PRo Boxo PUBLIco.